It has conventionally been known that hydroxymethyl-containing phenol compounds are used in various applications. For example, besides being applied to coating compositions as described in "THE CHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC FILM FORMERS" written by D. H. Solomon, hydroxymethyl-containing phenol compounds are used in many fields such as, e.g., lithographic plates, photoresists, adhesives, molding materials, laminating materials, and binders.
Frequently used in these applications are a phenol-formaldehyde-resol resin or the compounds described in Japanese patent publication (examined) No. Hei-1-49932, specifically such compounds as bishydroxymethyl-p-cresol and tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)bisphenol A.
However, such conventionally known hydroxymethyl-containing phenol compounds have been disadvantageous in that methylol groups, which function as a crosslinking group, cannot be incorporated in the molecule in a large number. The phenol-formalin-resol resin also is disadvantageous in that the number of the reactive hydroxymethyl groups contained in the molecule is small. Hence, both the hydroxymethyl-containing phenol compounds and the phenol-formaldehyde-resol resin have failed to attain sufficient cured-film performances when used in coating compositions, photosensitive printing plates, etc. It has therefore been necessary that in order to meet cured-film performance requirements, the hydroxymethyl-containing phenol compounds or the resol resin should be incorporated in a large amount.
Further, there has been another problem that the incorporation of a hydroxymethyl group results in impaired solvent solubility.